Minnie experience has major impact

It was supposed to be a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant, followed by watching her friend play in a netball game.

“Make sure you don’t get spaghetti on your t-shirt,” one friend said.

But Georgia’s night turned out very differently.

After dinner Georgia was driven home and when she walked inside her front door was surprised by a huge party of family and friends.

Also standing inside Georgia’s house were Make-A-Wish volunteers. All gathered to reveal that Georgia’s wish to go to Disneyland with her family would be granted.

“The Make-A-Wish volunteers had organised cake and balloons and gifts for Georgia’s brothers,” mum Melissa said.

“And it just completely blew us away. And we were just like, how's this even happening?

“The wish reveal was just so much fun. And the boost that gave Georgia was so uplifting. It was phenomenal.”

Living with CF, a life-limiting genetic disorder affecting the lungs, means Georgia can have trouble breathing and often runs out of energy.

“I just get more tired than most people my age. And have shortness of breath,” Georgia said.
“I have to take medication every time I eat to try and keep the weight on.”

High school was a difficult challenge for Georgia. She would put all her energy into a school term and then have to spend the school holidays recovering in hospital.

“The day of her school graduation she was in hospital and she got discharged for a few hours so she could go,” Melissa said.

Georgia was 11 years old when she, her two siblings and their parents boarded a plane for Los Angeles.

While they did visit places such as Universal Studios, the trip was centred around Disneyland.

Georgia’s number one priority was to meet Minnie Mouse. But she met all the Disney characters at Goofy’s Kitchen, a breakfast and dinner restaurant located in the Disneyland Hotel.

Then there were the rides. Holding ‘fast passes’ organised by Make-A-Wish, Georgia and her brothers never had to wait long in queues.

Melissa remembers “the joy on Georgia’s face” when meeting all her Disney favourites at Goofy’s Kitchen.

The wish trip was a chance for the family to finally spend quality time together after Georgia and her mum spent months in the hospital.

“For that week while we were away on the wish, she wasn't the sick kid with the hospital appointments,” Melissa said.

“One of the most special things for us was just seeing Georgia enjoy every moment. That week in America was so good for all of us.”

In 2025, Georgia started a job as a casual teacher’s aide. She also likes to bake and run her own online business.

Georgia makes personalised cups, tote bags and t-shirts (https://www.instagram.com/frankie.and.g/#)

Always in the back of her mind is the realisation she will eventually need a lung transplant.

Georgia has been on and off the lung transplant list. But currently she’s off the list, as doctors consider her condition stable.

“When I was active you have to answer every single phone call because, you never know when the phone call's going to come through,” Georgia said.

“If my phone rang in the middle of the night, I’d have to answer it.”

Since July 2024 Georgia’s phone has been ringing a little more. That’s when she became a Make-A-Wish volunteer.

She had wanted to volunteer for years and finally found the right time to sign up.

Melissa believes Georgia’s own wish was the driving force behind her wanting to be a Make-A-Wish volunteer.

“I think the wish has helped shape Georgia. She’s a very grateful and thankful person,” Melissa said. 

“She tends to take every experience that she's been through and then use it to be able to speak to others or have empathy for other people.”